Integrated MEMS switches, design structures and methods of fabricating such switches are provided. The method includes forming at least one tab of sacrificial material on a side of a switching device which is embedded in the sacrificial material. The method further includes stripping the sacrificial material through at least one opening formed on the at least one tab which is on the side of the switching device, and sealing the at least one opening with a capping material.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of manufacturing a MEMS switch comprising: forming MEMS structures in a lower and upper cavity, which are connected by a via formed through the MEMS structures and are temporarily filled with a sacrificial material, wherein the forming the MEMS structures comprises: forming a first electrode layer on a lower layer of the sacrificial material; forming a first dielectric layer on the first electrode layer; forming a second electrode layer on the first dielectric layer forming a first insulator layer on a surface of the first electrode layer; and forming a second insulator layer on the second electrode layer; forming a second dielectric layer surrounding portions of the lower and upper cavity and over the MEMS structures; opening a vent hole in the second dielectric layer on a side of the MEMS structures over the lower cavity; stripping the sacrificial material to form a void about the MEMS structures using a dry or wet etchant; and sealing the vent hole with a capping material.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: forming at least one tab on a side of the MEMS structures, the at least one tab being formed from the sacrificial material; and forming the second dielectric layer over the at least one tab, wherein the vent hole is in the second dielectric layer on the at least one tab.
3. The method of claim of claim 2 , wherein the lower layer of the sacrificial material embeds a contact electrode and a forcing electrode of the MEMS structures and forms the at least one tab, simultaneously.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the lower layer of the sacrificial material, which embeds a contact electrode and a forcing electrode, is formed at a different time than the at least one tab.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the vent hole is one of fully aligned over the at least one tab, offset with respect to the at least one tab and formed on a side of the at least one tab.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein one of: the sacrificial material is silicon and the stripping is performed using XeF 2 gas; and the sacrificial material is Polymethylglutarimide (PMGI) and the stripping is performed using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidine (NMP) and/or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-based removers.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the via is formed through the first insulator layer, the first electrode layer, the first dielectric layer, the second electrode layer, and the second insulator layer.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sacrificial material surrounds the MEMS structures and is stripped from under the MEMS structures through the via.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS structures are formed as a cantilever beam having a free end.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 27, 2009
October 29, 2013
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